Plantar Fasciitis

You may have heard the term Plantar Fasciitis. It seems to be the go-to word for any kind of foot pain, but do you know what it is?

It is a fairly common problem that people may experience, especially when they reach the other side of 40. It’s a pain that you get on the bottom of your foot, especially near the heel. Prolonged periods of standing, walking, or running can make it worse.  

There are a few factors that contribute to this foot and heel pain

• Extended use (and overuse) of feet – if you are somebody who spends a lot of time on their feet at work or actively walks or runs for extended periods of time, you will be more prone to this condition. 

• Using shoes that aren’t appropriate for the type of activity you are doing, or which are worn out and don’t give you the right support, can put you at risk.

• The more you weigh, the harder the impact on your feet.

• Flat feet or elevated arches might cause you to walk in a way that puts extra pressure on your feet.  This imbalance then leads to ankle problems, calf stiffness and weaker muscles in your feet. 

How do you know if you have Plantar Fasciitis? 

• You may have a sharp or severe heel pain, which might be worse when you start moving, such as getting out of bed or out of a chair.  The pain usually improves as the foot warms up.

• Your foot might seem stiff and uncomfortable, particularly in the morning or after long periods of inactivity.

• Your pain can develop following training or walking, which makes it difficult to get into any kind of fitness routine.  This can be a condition that hangs around for a long time, so daily activities such as walking, taking the stairs, driving, and standing might be uncomfortable at times.

• The bottom of your foot (especially near the heel) might feel sensitive to the touch, and you might get some swelling.

An untreated Plantar Fasciitis can cause no end of problems for you, and they are not always what you might expect!

• You may find that you end up changing the way that you walk, which puts stress on various parts of the body that are not used to it. You might even get injuries as your body tries to compensate for the foot pain.

• Chronic Pain is always a danger and can make all kinds of activities extremely uncomfortable and painful.

• You may receive Plantar tears (small tears) which lead to an increase in your pain and make you more likely to be injured for longer.

• In very severe cases, it can cause excruciating pain, bruising, and swelling, which often leads to a period of inactivity and, in the worst cases, medical intervention.

• Heel spurs (bony growths) may occur as a result of chronic irritation and cause severe pain.

But don’t fear!  There are a range of options for treatment of Plantar Fasciitis at Chester’s Best Physiotherapy Clinic, Relive Physiotherapy. When you come to see us for your assessment, you can be reassured that we will thoroughly examine your foot and get you to do a small number of exercises and special tests, before we give you the diagnosis.  We will talk to you about your treatment plan and the different treatment options that are available to you.  These include:

• Physiotherapy – this is a mixture of targeted exercises, manual therapy, and soft tissue massage, which will start to take away some of the pain, reminding you of what life was like before you had Plantar Fasciitis! Depending on the strength of this therapy, it can go from very pleasant to painful, so please make sure you speak to your Physiotherapist if they are going too hard! 

• Orthotics and Insoles – using PHITS 3D Printed Insoles and our customised Foot Scanner, we will be able to identify any problems with your gait and use our advanced software and technology to produce a map of your foot.  From this map, we will produce an insole, crafted just for you, correcting any of the problems in your foot to ensure a perfect step, every time.

• Ultrasound Therapy - using our special magic Ultrasound wand, we will cover the bottom of your foot and heel with therapeutic ultrasound.  This goes right to the heart of the affected area, and the gentle sound waves help start the healing process and improve blood circulation, which means less pain and irritation.  

• Shockwave Therapy – this treatment can be painful, but the effects are amazing! Intense pressure sound waves are used on your foot, and this promotes recovery to the affected area.  It has been likened to a pneumatic drill on your foot (although it is non-invasive and doesn’t go through your skin).  Shockwave Therapy should be carried out by a trained professional.  It greatly improves foot function, reduces pain levels and allows you to do more than you thought was possible. 

• Injection Therapy – at Relive Physiotherapy, we use Ultrasound Guided Injections, which can only be undertaken by a qualified professional.  A Corticosteroid is injected directly into the foot which helps relieve pain and allows the Physiotherapist to work on the painful area, as it can often be too painful to even touch.  A Steroid Injection lasts upward of 4 months, so once it has been done, we can work on solving the problem and then helping you get rid of your Plantar Fasciitis for good. 

Once you get home, though, you will need to continue your recovery program to maximise your improvement.  If you skip any of these, then you risk your pain being more likely to return, or slowing down your recovery.

• Rest and ice the painful area for 10-15 minutes, several times a day.  The best thing for this is to have a cold pack that you can either pick up online or at Relive Physiotherapy at the reception.  Frozen peas or vegetables would work as well.

• Continue doing the targeted stretches and exercises that your Physio has given you – don't try to self-treat and look them up online as they will inevitably not work if you don’t do them at the right time, in the right way or in the right order.

• Make sure you are wearing footwear that is appropriate for the activity that you are doing (so no running in high heels!).  Also make sure that your shoes are still in a good state – you would change a tyre if it started getting worn, your shoes should follow the same principle.

• Don’t overdo it – it can be tempting to try to do too much too soon, especially if you feel that you are better! 

At Chester’s Premium Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinic, Relive Physiotherapy, we have years of experience in treating Plantar Fasciitis and other sports injuries.  If you are still not sure, why not take a look at our reviews and see what people just like you have said about us?